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Avelook
Aveluk: Syunik's dried braided sorrel with walnuts, garlic and onion
In Syunik, the mountainous south of Armenia around Goris, women pick wild mountain sorrel in May and braid the long leaves into ropes that hang drying in every kitchen. In winter and during Lent the braids are soaked, simmered until soft and fried with onion and walnuts, giving a dark, earthy, sour salad with a taste somewhere between spinach and olives. Braids are sold in Armenian shops. A common mistake is skipping the second boil, which leaves the leaves bitter and tough. Chef's tip: squeeze the cooked sorrel well and fry it long enough to dry and slightly crisp at the edges; that is when the flavour deepens.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the aveluk
- 3 ½ oz dried sorrel braids (aveluk)
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 onionssliced
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 ⅛ oz walnutsroughly chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅓ oz fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Soak 3 ½ oz dried sorrel braids (aveluk) in cold water for 1 hour, then cut the braids into 4 cm pieces.
Step 2: Simmer in fresh water for 15 minutes, drain, cover with more fresh water and simmer for another 15 minutes, until tender. Common mistake: one quick boil; it stays bitter.
30 minStep 3: Drain, cool and squeeze firmly to remove the water.
Step 4: Warm 4 tbsp sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry 2 onions for 8 minutes until golden. Add the sorrel and ½ tsp salt and fry for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until dry and dark.
18 minStep 5: Stir in 3 cloves garlic, 2 ⅛ oz walnuts and ¼ tsp black pepper and fry for 1 minute. Serve warm or at room temperature, scattered with ⅓ oz fresh coriander.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does avelook take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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